Everybody has a breaking point
by lilCroissant
Summary: The Reverse of Roles. What if it were Rachel to return to McKinley as a skank and NOT Quinn?


**A/N:  
>Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Glee or the characters. <strong>

**A lot of this chapter is dialogue, and most of it is direct dialogue from the show to try to keep it in some form canon. **

**Thought of this today and decided to rewrite it while I can't do much but sit inside. Tell me what you think. It should be self explanatory; you should be able to see what's the same and what I changed. It's not that hard to figure out (:**

**Reverse of roles.**

**Takes place the very beginning of season three. [The Purple Piano Project]**

**Enjoy. **

"Mr. Shue, why are all our trophies in the middle of the room?" Tina spoke staring at the small selection of mementos representing first place and every other place not good enough for the title.

"I was sure that our Nationals trophy would have grown over the summer." Brittany added, mentally yelling at herself for not placing it in a pot of water.

"I want that image burned into your mind" Mr. Shue stated, reaching for the hand-sized award in between the much larger ones. "This is what the difference between first and twelfth place looks like. It's also what it feels like."

"You plan on bumming us out all year long?" Puck questioned walking to his seat in the back.

Immediately Mr. Shue responded, "No, I'm planning on pushing you harder then you've ever been pushed. We made it to Nationals last year. This year I'm not going to let anything or anyone stop us at all. I let you down last year. I lost focus; let some Broadway pipe dreams get in the way."

"We lost anyway, why you didn't just stay is beyond me. Heard the dude that replaced you won a Tony, must regret that." Of course it was Santana to make a snarky comment.

"You know what I regret, being the laughing stock of the show choir world." Mercedes piped in.

"And that's saying something." Artie agreed.

"Mercedes has a point. Finn and Rachel's the kiss that missed already has twenty thousand views on YouTube, and the comment section is just full of pithy banter like 'why's the T-Rex eating the Jew'." Kurt said, more humoring then malice.

Finn sighed, "How many times do I have to apologize for that?"

"Not that it hasn't been absolutely delightful, but where is the dwarf anyway?" Santana asked, when she was reminded of the lack of ascendency in the room.

Suddenly everyone noticed the absence of the overwhelming presence that is Rachel Berry.

"MIA. No ones heard from her. It's sad, I miss her." Artie spoke.

"I haven't seen her all summer either." Finn admitted.

"That's not good." Artie muttered looking from Finn to Tina. He would know. Last summer he disappeared for a marathon round of halo. When school started again and he came back to reality, it was too late. Tina had found someone new.

"What did you both go swimming? I bet she got one look at your man-boobs and went into hiding." Santana retorted, though honestly she was curious. Maybe concerned, but that's only for the gods to know.

"I just haven't seen her; I didn't want to bother her either. I figured she was busy maybe with plays and the college process and… stuff. If she wasn't busy she would have been around." _Right?_

Santana rolled her eyes, boy was Finn naïve.

"What if she quit?" Tina wondered aloud.

Mercedes chuckled, "Rachel? Quit?"

"Then we would be three members down." Tina continued.

Finally, Mr. Shue stepped back in, "Which is why we need to work even harder this year to recruit new members."

"No ones gonna join Mr. Shue." Mercedes blatantly stated.

"They will, all they need is a little inspiration, and I happen to have some. Courtesy of Al Motta of Motta pianos, Bring em' in guys!" Mr. Shue called towards the doors enthusiastically and three purple pianos were rolled in, "You guys are gonna love this!"

Kurt practically fell out of his chair, "Woah, woah, woah. If there are purple pianos involved in this, I am on board!"

"These pianos were repossessed from foreclosed homes. They're cast offs, just like all of us. Used, in need of repairs-"

Mr. Shue was cut off by Tina's understanding, "But they're still capable of making beautiful music."

Everyone seemed heart-warmed by this. Mike pulled Tina in closer to him. Finn and Puck released a genuine smirk. Hell, even Santana. Quinn, Brittany, and Mercedes let all their teeth show in a mutual smile. It was a family-like atmosphere. Yet, for some reason, not complete.

"Right." Mr. Shue agreed with a smile. "So has agreed to donate them to Glee. I fixed them up, painted them purple, and the purple piano project was born. Now, I'm gonna be placing these randomly throughout the school and whenever you see one, no matter what you're doing, I want you to sing a song. Now use this assignment to attract new kids just like you, kids who can't keep the music inside. Those are the kinds of auditions that we need to win it all this year. Now for many of you, this is your last year. Let's make it special."

****

**RPOV**

_**Senior year and I finally pulled my head out of my ass. I'm not sure what the tipping point was, dying my hair purple, the lip ring, burning my collection of Celine Dion records. But, one thing I know, I'm never going back.**_

****

"Rachel, girl! What are you doing? This is our senior year, and frankly, being in Glee isn't the same without you." Mercedes said, stopping Rachel on her way to the bleachers.

She turned to face Mercedes and Kurt, a look of indifference plastered on her make-up covered face.

"You guys are such suckers for going back to Mr. Shue after he basically abandoned us." Rachel slurred out, getting very bored very fast with the conversation.

"Oh, come on, forget Mr. Shue. This is for us. We can win Nationals this year. This is our last chance." Mercedes practically begged.

"We all joined Glee club together and have been through hell in back." Kurt finally spoke up, the same disappointment in his voice.

"We're besties for life" Mercedes added to Kurt's point.

Rachel remained apathetic.

"We used to be the three divas, and now we're like Dream Girls without Beyonce." Kurt pleaded.

"Ahem." Mercedes huffed at not being the Beyonce of the group. She hoped that would spark a friendly competition between the two, but no. Rachel was completely unaffected by the remark.

After standing there like an emotionless robot, Rachel replied, "You guys never understood my drive. It sucked. I got tired of it. I'm not interested anymore. I'm not interested in being resented and living at the standards of Lima good."

"Your more then Lima good, just stop this, this aint you." Mercedes replied half in shock at the more then dramatic change in Rachel.

"Listen, I have a bottle of peroxide and a wide selection of facial products in my locker with your name on it." Kurt attempted to sympathize. He couldn't imagine what would ever push Rachel to this point.

The only response they received was a slight chuckle and sarcastic eye roll.

"C'mon Rachel, you can't break up the three divas." Kurt tried one more time.

"You don't know me, people change, grow apart. Deal with it. I have new friends now. And they accept me for who I am." Rachel stated, ending the conversation and drifting to the bleachers leaving Mercedes and Kurt both hopeless and dumbfounded.

…we call ourselves The Skanks.

**RPOV**

Ronnie was lighting my cigarette. Yeah. I started smoking. Figured I'd put my killer lungs to use. Maybe if it wasn't expected from the skanks I'd give it up, but I have nothing to loose, so why not? I'd have to say, it's quite refreshing not living up to my old expectations of myself. Or so I've been trying to make myself come to realize.

Taking a nice long drag of my cig, I heard a voice off to the side. A voice that, well, you could say was a bit unexpected. I didn't let it surprise me though, that's an emotion, something I'm not quite ready to have yet.

****

**QPOV**

I'm actually standing here, next to the bleachers. I watch as an over-weight grunge looking bitch lights Rachel's cigarette. I almost don't recognize Rachel; she's wearing tight leather pants with many rips and a white belly shirt with many rips also. Intense purple hair covering half of her eyeliner coated eyes. There is no energy radiating off of the girl. No smile, just a neutral look traced on her lips. My mind does not know where to begin. Where do you start when the most animated and strong person you know is now, almost lifeless?

There are so many questions you could ask, but no where to begin. I feel as though I woke up in pitch black, and someone told me the sun stopped shinning. Why? How? You take the sun for granted. It provides you with energy, heat and light, but you don't give it any credit. Whenever I needed something, although I never asked or made it obvious, Rachel was there. Even if she was just an icon of strength, not caring what others think, motivating me without even knowing it. I can't help that I'm concerned. She kind of was my friend, in a way. I'm just being human voicing my concern. She could have confined in me. I would have listened, helped, anything. Still, I don't blame her. If the roles were reversed and I was her, I wouldn't trust me. But she can, I'm not the head bitch cheerleader anymore. I never want to be again. "Hi Rachel... Hello, skanks."

"Your friend stinks of soap Rachel." A skank, Ronnie, remarked.

"We were friends once, ok and maybe when you dropped of society over the summer, I should've"-

I was cut off by Rachel, "I'm not coming back to Glee club."

"We need you; I mean did you see all those purple pianos around school. We're planning this big recruiting number and it's gonna be a tribute to the Go-Go's, I-eh who doesn't love the Go-Gos?" I tried.

"I prefer The Bangles" Another skank, Sheila, tried hard and intimidating.

I still pressed on, "We need your range and star power, and even your classy confident style." I swear I caught Rachel's slight smile at the compliment. Or at least that's what I hope that was.

"I'll give you $10 if you let me beat her up for you Rach." The last of the skanks, Mack, threatened.

"I'm sorry your so sad, Rach. Believe me, I understand in some way. I had to give away the one thing that had any meaning to me. Now I have to live with that, forever." _If you're not strong enough to deal with whatever this is, how am I supposed to deal with my situation? _"Whatever pushed you to this point, you could have talked to any of us. And maybe your not gonna believe me because of how I've treated you in the past, but I'm sad not seeing you in the choir room. And we've all been through so much together, we're a family, and this is our year to get it right."

Wow, I just did a Rachel Berry signature rant. She must have had a lot of passion for Glee and the things she wanted to achieve to do these all the time. It just kind of consumed me, but I let it. I let my feelings take over. Rachel stood with her cigarette in hand continuing to show the amount of emotion of an inanimate object. I took a breath and finished,

"We would love to have you back in glee club, whenever you're ready. Ok."

On that note, I turned and left. That was all I could do for now, but I wasn't going to fail her.

****

**QPOV**

_A purple piano. Here. Of all places. Great._

Maybe we can just act like we didn't see it. Who am I kidding? Your eyes have to work as well as Artie's legs not to notice that.

Just let me eat and live through lunch.

No one else is taking any action or lead, whew, safe.

Huh, we really did rely on Rachel to get things done.

Rachel.

She wouldn't just sit here.

We have specific orders and a kickass number. She wouldn't care that it might mean social suicide.

Ugh, I'm gonna do this aren't I?

We need these members. We need to show we are a strong club despite everything incase Rachel decides to ever come back.

Deep breath.

"Why are we all ignoring Mr. Shue's assignment?"

"Why, there's a purple piano in here?" Finn replied acting dumber then he already is.

"Wow, how did any of us miss that?" Mercedes added with a mass amount of sarcasm.

"Look, we have to do the number, ok?" I said with a sigh.

"We have to survive lunch." Artie emphasized.

"I agree. That's like wearing a red dress to a bull fight." Kurt argued.

As much as I agree with them, I have to suck it up, "Look, the assignment was to attract new members. I love glee, and I know all of you do just as much. If you want it to stay alive we have to do the number. We _need_ members. It's simple, do the number, attract members, glee lives."

At last someone caved and it was Finn to speak up, "Quinn's right. How are we supposed to win Nationals if we don't even believe in ourselves? I don't know if Rachel's ever going to come back, but were not going to fall apart because she's not holding us together. Maybe if she sees that, she'll come back." He all but mumbled the last part to himself.

"Thanks." I said to him. When everyone ceased the contemplation, I nodded to the boys' right by the instruments to begin.

**END CHAPTER**

**Continue or?**

**How'd I do?**

**Now tell me this… what would YOU like to see?**


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